Zoning change moves forward

EDWARDSVILLE – The city's Plan Commission has recommended a change in zoning for a prime 15.4 acre development behind Books-A-Million, from residential to commercial.

The site, at the corner of Plum Street and Governors' Parkway, is considered one of the more lucrative properties in Edwardsville.

Plans for the property are still in the early stages, and Plan Commission Chair Veronica Armouti reminded visitors to a public hearing on the project that it will be discussed at several upcoming committee meetings before it moves on to the Edwardsville City Council for approval.

Meanwhile, Assistant City Planner Cheryl Porter said the zoning change will allow for the possibility of commercial development to be built on the first floor and residential apartments to be built above.

The property has been in the news since July of 2017 when the city and county signed an intergovernmental agreement allowing Edwardsville to become the lead agency in developing the property. In October, the City Council approved sending out Requests for Proposals although the lone respondent has since failed to meet the city's requirements, said Eric Williams, the city's Director of Public Works. "Hopefully, if we re-issue the RFP, the zoning would be correct for prospective respondents to line up with the appraisal," Williams said.

The intergovernmental agreement gives Edwardsville the right to purchase the property from Madison County for $5 million and to solicit RFPs.

The property is across from Edwardsville Crossing, which was developed a dozen years ago. Sheila Voss of Edwardsville urged commission members to consider the potential ecological harm that might come with adding commercial property and parking on the Plum Street property.

"The more impervious pavement that we put in, the less places that have the ability to absorb and manage storm water as well as clean and cool our air, and other ecosystem benefits," she said. "As a citizen I'm just curious how this group defines and thinks about sustainable projects when it comes to projects like this."

Regardless of how the Plum Street property is zoned, developers will have to meet specific requirements pertaining to runoff, detention, and maintenance of green space, said Mike Pierceall, a member of the Plan Commission. "From that perspective, what you see now as empty property is not likely to be that way in the future," he said.

Because the property is in such a prime location, it has become too valuable to simply be used as green space or as a single-family development, said John Mullane. Mullane is also a member of the commission. "I've lived in Edwardsville all of my life and it has always been my dream that that would remain a park forever, and that's not going to happen," he said. "It's going to be something huge and big box and retail, and that saddens me."

But Armouti noted that several recent developments located in the vicinity of the Plum Street property have been created with apartment units situated atop ground level retail stores.

"And it is ultimately up to developers and what they see when they have feasibility studies and market analysis and see what people want," she said. In the final analysis, developers will build what they believe people will actually use, she said.

Voss told Armouti that she respects that sentiment. She also assured her that she is not anti business and that she loves the community and what it has become.

She urged community leaders, in their long-term planning, to continue setting aside green space for recreational use and also for "under-the-radar" green space such as the Plum Street property.

"Plan for them in and around our community, where we drive, work, play and go to school," Voss said. "It's smart for resilience, it's smart for quality of life, and it adds to the attractiveness of this place where we work and play. I just don't want these places to be undercounted and undervalued, and not just up for the highest bidder."